One killed, 32 injured in police-VHP clash in West Bengal

Police firing and clashes between Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists and security personnel over performance of a yagna (religious ritual) on Sunday left one dead and 32 injured in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

Police had earlier said that one person had died on the spot and another succumbed to injuries on the way to Bangur hospital, but hospital sources said that the person was still alive.

Bullets were removed from his body and his condition was 'very serious'.

Trouble erupted when VHP activists who had congregated since Saturday night at the Harisabha mandir (temple) near Taldih railway station, 60 km from Canning, to perform the yagna and organise a dharma sabha (religious gathering), started raising slogans after being denied permission by police to go ahead with their plans.

Prohibitory orders had been clamped in the area since Saturday night as a precautionary measure, police said.

After police began dispersing the mob by resorting to a lathi-charge and using tear gas, the mob started pelting stones at the security personnel defying the prohibitory orders prompting the police to open fire, IGP (law and order) Chayan Mukherjee said.

The police fired 20 rounds in which one person was killed on the spot.

At least 32 others, including 25 policemen were injured in the clash, police said adding an ETV cameraman was also injured in the clash.

Three police vehicles were also damaged in the incident, the IGP said.

A report from South 24 Parganas district said the district BJP unit called a 24-hour bandh in Canning police station area on Monday in protest against the firing at Taldih.

However, local BJP leader Krishna Debnath said on Sunday night that essential services were kept out of the purview of the bandh.

Meanwhile, an Asansol report said the police did not allow VHP activists to perform the Shree Ram Mahayagna (a religious ritual) at Budha maidan (ground) in Bardhaman district on Sunday.

Altogether 96 persons, including one woman, were arrested from the spot, the police said.